Solar market looks bright for Middle East, Africa

PARIS – Solar photovoltaic (PV) demand for power from the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region is expected to be about 1 gigawatt in 2013, up 625 percent from 136 megawatts in 2012, according to market watcher NPD Solarbuzz LLC.

In its latest report, entitled Middle East and Africa PV Market, NPD Solarbuzz said it anticipates that South Africa will become the largest PV market in the near term within the MEA region. The country's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Program, signed in 2012, will ultimately reach 1.45 GW of PV capacity.

In 2013, NPD Solarbuzz said it predicts that South Africa and Israel will represent more than 80 percent of all PV demand across the MEA region.

However, Saudi Arabia, whose capacity will account for 5 percent of total PV demand in the MEA region this year, is set to drive solar PV demand by 2017, the market watcher said.